{"id":54231,"date":"2025-08-05T18:59:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T01:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salk.edu\/?page_id=54231"},"modified":"2025-08-13T17:08:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T00:08:57","slug":"institute-faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.salk.edu\/zh\/about\/institute-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"\u5b66\u9662\u5e38\u89c1\u95ee\u9898\u89e3\u7b54"},"content":{"rendered":"Expand All<\/a>Collapse All<\/a>\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
What is the Salk Institute?<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

The Salk Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. The Institute buildings are an architectural landmark, designed by renowned architect Louis Kahn, overlooking the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, California.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
What is Salk\u2019s mission?<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

To explore the fundamental processes of life for the benefit of all and to empower the next generation of scientists.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
What do Salk scientists do?<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Salk is home to one of seven US National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers dedicated to basic laboratory research. Other major areas of research at Salk are healthy aging, immunobiology, neuroscience, metabolism, plant biology, biochemistry, and computational biology.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Salk scientists study the basic principles of biology across multiple research areas to address pressing global challenges, such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer\u2019s disease, and crop resilience.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
Why is basic, or foundational, research so important?<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Basic research seeks to uncover fundamental truths about biology, health, and the environment, often without immediate commercial applications. This kind of research lays the groundwork for nearly every major scientific breakthrough, from vaccines and cancer therapies to advances in neuroscience and agricultural science. By understanding how life works at its most basic levels, scientists can develop transformative solutions for the future. Without foundational research, the translational scientists wouldn\u2019t have anything to \u201ctranslate\u201d to the clinic.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
How is foundational research funded?<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Foundational research is primarily funded through a combination of competitive government grants, private foundations, and philanthropy. While public funding supports many projects, it often prioritizes short-term outcomes. Philanthropic support is essential to fuel bold, high-risk ideas and long-term discoveries that traditional funding sources may overlook.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
What discoveries is Salk best known for?<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Salk discoveries have led to new therapeutic approaches that overturned previous thinking, including, for example:<\/p>\r\n\r\n